Pups enter the socialization period which is broken into 4 stages. The pups enter the first stage, the "Period of becoming aware." Pups can see, hear, scent, wag tails, bark and bite! Pups start on solid food this week and the last of the external stress excercises conclude.
Date(s): 6/10/02 - 6/16/02. Album by RatpiT Kennels. Photos by Theresa Baker/Robert Heller. 1 - 24 of 125 Total. 721 Visits.
1 Try it - you'll like it! Xena helps 22 day old Zenith sample the chow. The pups are offered a gruel made from Innova puppy chow and cottage cheese.
2 Hey, Duke! Where's the beef? Or at least where are the news papers? The pups ears are really starting to 'turn on' and we have kept papers - and rustling loud noises - to a bare minimum while they adapt to hearing this week. Goliath meanwhile tries to steal some puppy gruel!
3 C'mon Cosmos! Cosmos finds the cup much easier to sip from!
4 Awww! Learning how to eat solid chow is both taxing - and messy!
5 23 day old Bennie... Bennie thinks eating food is great fun! The towel helps give the pups some footing as they try the chow, and we keep the nest in the blue tub to keep the pups out of drafts and to keep them contained until they are stabilized in the new nursery set up.
6 5 to a dish! And doing their best to chow down. The pups step in the food, eat a few slurps, and then lick themselves off. They are pretty neat for young pups.
7 Xena assumes the task.. Of making sure the dish is empty! Seeing their momma at the dish inspires a few to renew their efforts.
8 Awww! Zenith peeks thru her momma's legs.
9 Bennie in profile. Bennie thinks about forgoing the dish and getting some milk straight from the cow!
10 Zenith with something to say! "I got food on my face and I can holler real loud...." Yup, this is all true!
11 Bennie sits this one out. Good thing momma cleaned that dish!
12 Cosmos steps up! Walking is still very new to the pups and each step is a careful, calcuated manouver!
13 Renewed interest! Led by their momma's example, Nova decides to give it another go...
14 Eww! Nova crinkles up her face as she tastes the food. Its kinda good, but it gets all over your face!
15 24 day old brothers. Astro and His Boy Elroy practice chomping each other.
16 Lookit the Duke! He is standing nice and square in the nest. Doesn't he look pretty!
17 Persistent pups.... Bennie and Zenith gets some extra slurps in while their momma is distracted.
18 And another shot.. Of the persistent pair!
19 Almost done! Xena is almost done with her clean up efforts!
20 1 of 5 Now that the milk wagon has gone, Bennie and Zenith do what 24 day old pups do best; practice adult behaviors! Here Benny tries to dominate his sister...
21 2 of 5 Now its Zenith's turn to dominate!
22 3 of 5 Sis isn't putting up with any domination!
23 4 of 5 Take THIS brother! Zenith attempts to dominate Bennie by covering his withers.
24 5 of 5 Back to the begining position! Whew! All this domination is hard work!
